Vehicle lift



Feb. 24,1931. BLOCK] 1,793,991

VEHICLE LIFT Filed April 15. 1927 3 Sheets-Shem 1 Feb. 24, 1931. j BLOCK] 1,793,991

VEHICLE LIFT Filed April 15, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

ATTO EYS,

H- J. BLOCK! VEHICLE LIFT Feb. 24, 1931.

Filed April 15, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I N VEN TOR.

f-W A TTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 24, 1931 'uurrs'o STATES PATENT OFFICE HERBERT J. BLOGKI, F SHEBOYGAN, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO ERIE OIL COMPANY, OF SHEBOYGAN, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN vnnronn LIFT Application filed April 13,

This invention relates to improvements in vehicle lifts, particularly adapted for use in the lubrication and greasing of motor .vehicle s. y r r It is the primary Object of the present invention to provide avehicle lift for use in greasing pits and adapted to elevate a vehicle and to take the weight of the vehicle ofi its wheels and springs to permit the ready and thorough introduction of lubricant into the spring shackles and other normally inaccessiblearts.

A urther object of the invention is to provide a motor propelled vehicle lift adapted to engage the frame of a vehicle to elevate it to any desired height andofi" its wheels.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vehicle lift having two elevating mechanisms, one of which is hand operated for fine adjustments.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vehicle lift having four frame engaging members which are swivelinglymounted for movement in order to be brought into proper positions to engage convenient portions of a vehicle frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vehicle lift forgreasing pits which is df simple construction, is strong and durable, is simple and eflicient in operation, and is well adapted for the purposes described.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved vehicle lift, and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof. a

In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views Fig. 1 is a section through a greasing pit and showing the vehicle liftin side elevation, the view being indicated on the line 1-1 of Fig. 3; 1

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. and on a larger scale;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a pit with the vehi cle lift therein;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view, partly in section of one of the frame engaging mem- 1927. Serial No. 183,565.

.bers and the means for manually operating thesame;

Fig. 5 1s a View similar to Fig. taken on line 55 of Fig. 3 and on a larger scale;

Fig. .6 is a view taken on line 66 of Fig. 4:; and

Fig. '7 is a view taken on line 77 of Fig. 4.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will appear that the numeral 10 designates a greasing pit such as is found in filling stations, garages and the like. Said pit has the usual depressed pit portionll of a depth about equal to a mans height and a sta1rway12 at one end affords access to the bottom portion ofthe pit. The pit, of course,

is narrower than the distance between opposite wheels of a vehicle and the upper level portion adjacent the pit openingis formed with tracks 13 defined by inner raised rails 14 and the wheels of a vehicle are intended to run on said tracks 13 to bringthe body portion of the vehicle directly over the pit opening.

Secured to the base of the pit at each end;

posts is a horizontal platform 19, the posts extending through openings 20 therethrough. An electric motor 21 is mounted on one side of the platform and at one end thereof and receives energy through circuit wires 22 connected with any convenient source of supply. The drive pulley 23 of said motor is connected by a belt 24 with a large pulley 25 mounted fast on a longitudinally extending shaft 26 which is supported below the platform in bearings 27. The shaft 26, at each end portion, carries fastthereon worms 28 and29 and said worms are adapted to mesh with worm wheels 30 and 31 which are threadably mounted on the screw threaded pair of blocks .32, one block being vertically e and mounted on the platform. Said switch, upon a predetermined vertical movement of posts 18; Thus,when the motor is operated in one direction, the worms 28 and 29 will turn the worm wheels 30' and 31 upwardly on the posts and the upward movement of said worm Wheels will raise on the posts a movably mounted on each post and interposed between the worm wheel and the bottom portion of the'platform. The upward movement of said blockswill, of course, cause theplatform to rise on said posts.

The motor may be'controlled by a pivotal dog SWltCll 33, 1ncluded 1n the motor circuit,

mountedjon the top longitudinal bars 36-and,

one of said elevatingcarriages will benescribed in detail; Each carriage includes four blocks 39, slidably mounted in pairs on the opposite top bars 36. Each block-has pivotally connected thereto a link 40gfand each pair of links are pivotally connected at their. inner'end portions to an aperture'd b'earingmember 41; A frame engagingarm .42 having: an angular upper end portion 42 is pivotally or swivelingly mounted through each bearing member. Opposite blocks 39 are connected together by transverse bars 43 and the opposed .bearing members 41 are connected together bypairs of transverse members 44 which are downwardly curved at their mid-portions '44 and which also have their end portions45 slidably mounted on the longitudinal bars 36. A guide bracket 46 is mountedmedially on one of the transverse bars 43 and extended through said guide bracket is an elongated screw rod 47 having a hand 'wheel 48 at'its outer end. The opposite transverse bar 43 has medially mounted thereon the outer end portion of a slotted guide arm 49 and said screw rod 47 7 extends into the "uide arm and has a thread ed engagement therewith and a block 50 loosely carried by the end portion of said screw rod is confined within said guide arm but may move longitudinally with respect thereto. 1

It will also be observed that each link 40 of an adjacent pair are connected by straps 51, each strap being pivotally connected to an intermediate portion of a link and also being hingedly connectedat its-other end portion to a, guide bracket 52 which is slid-ably its wheels a desired distance above thetl or pit top floor. A veh cle so supported annelevated may be very thoroughly and efli-s mounted on a longitudinal bar 36 and having an off-set portion through which aframe engaging arm 42 extends (see Figs. 4 and A collar 53 is positioned between the guide bracket and the bearing member 41. a

The construction and mounting of each elevating carriage is suchthat when the-hand wheel 48 is operated to turn the screw rod 47 in one direction the endtransverse bars 43 will be drawn closer together, sliding the bios {S 39 on the-longitudinal bars 36. This movement of the bars 43 toward each other will cause the angularity or inclination of i the links 40 tobe increased, thereby raising the bearing members 41 carried thereby and and also liftingthe frame engaging arms 42 mcuntedinsaid bearin members. Gbviously, a reverse operation ofthe hand wheel will cause a'lowering of the fr In use, a vehicle is dr ven onto" the track 13 0f the pit so that the body portion of the vehicle will be disposed directly overthe pit opening. The pit operator will thendescend to the platform 19 which should be at its lowest position and then the motor will be started to raise the platform and supporting structure carried thereby; After the platform has been raised apredetermined distance so that the'engaging portions 42 of the arms 42 are quite close tov the vehicle frame, the motor will be stoppel'by operation ofthe switch which has moved into contact with the lug of the collar 34, the collar having previously been adjusted. The'pit operator will then.

manually operate the elevating carriages 38 to bring both pairs 42, into; engage ment with the vehicle frame, itbeing' noted,

that said arms may be swiveled to locateitne same under aidesired clearv portionof the vehicle frame for engagement. The motor may then again be operated to raise the platform and supporting structure a desired distance and the vehicle will betherebyel'evated o l ciently greased and lubricated with theadditional advantagethat the springs are not ex panded and may be worked on, as well as the shackles. The vehicle may be lowered by reversing the motor to cause the descent of the platform and the collar 34 may be previously dropped a sufficient distance to automatically operate the switch 33' when the platform has dropped suficiently far.

From the foregoing descriptionit will be seenthat the improved vehicle lift is of very simple and novel construction, and is well adapted for the purposes described; 1'

What I claim. as; my invention isf'r- V 1. A vehicle lift, comprisinga"supporting structure, means for raising and lowering said supporting structure, twopairs-of lifting members,-the lifting members of each pair being ointly movably carr ed by said ame engaging arms supporting structure, and other means for in dependently raising and lowering each pair of lifting members, said pairs of lifting members being adjustable longitudinally of the supporting structure toward or away from each other.

2. A vehicle lift, comprising a non-portable supporting structure, means for raising and lowering said supporting structure, a pair of elevating carriage members movably mounted on said supporting structure longitudinally thereof and movable toward and awayfrom each other, and crank means for independently elevating portions of each carriage member with respect to the supporting structure.

3. The combination with a vehicle platform having an openingtherein, of a supporting structure vertically movably mounted through the opening of said platform,

' means for raising and lowering said supporting structure, a pair of elevating carriage members longitudinally movably mounted on said supporting structure at opposite ends thereof, and means for independently elevating portions of each carriage member with respect to the supportingstructure.

4.-The combination with a vehicle platform having an opening therein, of a supporting structure vertically movably mount ed through said platform opening, means for raising and lowering said supportin structure, a pair of elevating carriage members longitudinally movably mounted on said supporting structure, each carriage member having a pair of adjustable vehicle frame engaging arms, and means for independently elevating each carriage member with respect to the supporting structure to raise the arms carried thereby.

5. The combination with a vehicle platform having an opening therein, of a supporting structure, vertically movably mounted through said platform opening, means for raising and lowering said supporting structure, a pair of elevating carriage members longitudinally movably mounted on said supporting structure, a pair of vehicle frame engaging arms projecting upwardly from eachcarriage member and swivelingly mounted therein, and means for independently elevating each carriage member with respect to the supporting structure to raise the arms carried thereby.

6. The combination with a greasing pit, of a supporting structure vertically movably mounted therein, and vertically and longitudinally movable auxiliary lifting members mounted'on the upper portion of the supporting structure and extending above the level of the pit.

7 Thecombination with a greasing pit, of

a supporting structure vertically movably mounted therein, means for elevating said supporting structure with respect to the pit,

auxiliary lifting members mounted on the upper portion of the supporting structure and extending above the upper level of the pit, and other means for independently elevating each of said lifting members with respect to the supporting structure.

8. The combination with a greasing pit, 

